The team, working under Prof. Daesoo Kim from the Department of Biological Science and Prof. Keon Jae Lee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, fabricated a device on a rigid substrate and transferred a 50µm active drug delivery layer to a flexible substrate via inorganic laser lift-off. The fabricated device shows mechanical flexibility while precisely administering exact dosages at desired times.

The core technology produces a freestanding gold-capping layer, directly on top of a micro-reservoir containing drugs, which had been regarded as impossible in conventional microfabrication.

The flexible drug delivery system can be applied to smart contact lenses or disease treatment by implanting them into cramped and corrugated organs. When powered wirelessly, it will represent a novel platform for personalized medicine.

The team already proved through animal experimentation that treatment for epilepsy progressed by releasing medication through the device. Lee believes the flexible microdevice will further expand applications for smart contact lenses, therapeutic treatments for brain disease, and subcutaneous implantations for daily healthcare.